Growing up I remember my mom didn’t buy her meats, fruits and veggies from the big chain grocery stores. She actually went to “El Mercadito” (local market) that was set up in la Noria ( a neighborhood in Mexico City.) 
I have fond memories of joining her for her weekly food shopping trip on Sundays.
Perhaps that’s the reason I like farmers markets so much when traveling abroad. They reflect the area’s culture and economy.
I enjoy everything in between, from the little stalls with bright and bold vegetables, to the meat stands, to the booths of bulk spices that fill city blocks.
It seems these days Americans are craving food grown locally and farmers markets in the US have sprung all over the country. According to a recent article I read on National Public Radio, there are over 6,000 farmers markets across the US. That’s a 250 percent increase since 1994.
Produce at farmers markets is known to be super fresh and locally grown. Markets benefit farmers, helping them stay in business and supporting the local economy. Farmers markets preserve natural resources as food has less packaging and it travels fewer miles, and they also help consumers as well by providing them with a variety of healthy and fresh products.
These are a few shots of farmers markets during my travels in St. Tropez, Marseille, Veracruz, Venice and of course here in San Diego.
